A man from Los Angeles appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III, in Las Vegas on Wednesday. He is allegedly involved in a transnational financial fraud organization accused of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Court documents state that Xui Jie Chen, also known as "Johnny Chen," 32, along with Jin Wei Chen, 41, from Flushing, New York, and Yue Yuan, 34, from the People's Republic of China, obtained over 5,000 genuine drivers' licenses belonging to U.S. citizens residing in various states including New York and Texas. These licenses were reportedly used by co-conspirators to withdraw or attempt to withdraw funds from banks and secure financing for luxury cars under false pretenses. The scheme reportedly affected at least 14 states such as Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Minnesota.
The defendants face charges related to bank fraud conspiracy and multiple counts of aggravated identity theft due to the use of these fraudulently obtained licenses. A jury trial is scheduled for July 14, 2025 before United States District Judge James C. Mahan.
If convicted on the conspiracy charge alone, each defendant could face up to 30 years in prison. Additionally, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft which would run consecutively with any other sentences imposed by the court.
The announcement was made by Sigal Chattah from the District of Nevada's U.S. Attorney's Office; Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Lester R. Hayes from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas.
HSI Las Vegas led the investigation with significant support from local authorities including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and gaming regulatory bodies in Nevada. The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Frayn and Trial Attorney Ken Kaplan from the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
It is important to note that an indictment serves only as an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.